Like A Moth To A Flame
by CarnivalOfDarkness
Summary: ONE-SHOT: Rouge the Bat lived a life of hell until a wrong decision was the best decision she could make in her life. KnucklesXRouge one-shot. Loosely based off of the song "Moth" by HellYeah. Read and Review :D


_I've been cast out, sequestered._  
_Pushed the fuck around._  
_Blindsided, beaten, locked up and bound._  
_Always thought I was human but maybe I was wrong._  
_I've been treated like an animal since the day I was born._

* * *

Growing up in Mobtropolis, Rouge The Bat did not live an easy life. Her ears were too big, she had a tiny figure for a girl her age; not to also mention the fact that she wore braces. She was constantly bullied for her appearance. Unlike other children who had their parents to turn to; she had none. She had her grandmother and her sister, and most of the time she did not want to be around her alcoholic and abusive grandmother. She beat Rouge and her sister; Scarlet on a daily basis. Her teachers never bothered to ask why she had black eyes or cuts on her arms; none of them seemed to care. It got down to the point where Rouge stopped caring as well. If no one cared about her, then why should she. That was until things started going more downhill than usual within the next few years; by Rouge's 15th birthday she had grown quite well, and everyone at school noticed. The girls became jealous and constantly tried to gang up on Rouge while most of the guys stared and tried to get Rouge to sleep with them. Rouge would start lashing out by drinking and partying; because she felt like this was how her life was going to end up. Things would become a constant struggle between Rouge and her grandmother as they constantly get into fights while the now 12 year old Scarlet would watch and not say a word. During this time, Scarlet would constanly cut herself to ease the pain of her family fighting. All that would stop when their grandmother would leave one morning without a single word. Not a goodbye, not an Adios, not anything. This meant that both Rouge and Scarlet would either: A.) Go to foster care. Or B.) Fend for themselves. The latter Rouge chose herself.

* * *

_The wounds that I wear are the crown upon a king._  
_So heavy they lie, with all the pain that they bring._

The following months consisted of Rouge trying to find work, all of which would not hire her because of her looks and scars. She eventually got desperate and wandered into a strip club one day, whom hired her on the spot. That was how the bills got paid. That was how they were fed. That was how they survived. Along with Rouge's extra little tips she would make for special services behind the bosses back; she was living like royalty... until the Police caught on. As the Police investigated the club; Rouge would lay low; desperately coming up with ways to make money. As she walked by a jewelery store; her eyes caught glimpse of the most beautiful jewel she had ever seen in her life. Walking in the store; she stole the jewel right from under them. She had it all figured out until she went head first with a cop just a few blocks down. Her life would change forever.

* * *

_My life is full of longing, but for what I'll never know._  
_I've been drawn in to the fire as I reap what I sow._

Waking up in a cold cell after blacking out; the young bat would open her eyes to find a black hedgehog with red accents standing in front of her.

"You got yourself into a mess. You know that?" - the hedgehog snapped as soon as she opened her eyes

"Whoa, man. Chill. I just woke up and I need to get to my sister. I'm sorry about the jewel. I was desperate. Now I need to leave so if you will-"- the bat managed to get out before a magical force grabbed a hold of her wrists forcing her back down to the cot.

"You are not going anywhere. You know how much trouble you are in, that I, have to cover for you."- the hedgehog said, causing a look of confusion from the bat's eye.

"Excuse me. I do not understand what you are saying. Can you please take whatever in the hell this is, off of my wrists" - the bat said as the hedgehog loosened his grip on Rouge.

"Rouge The Bat. Age 16. Works at the strip club when she is not even old enough too. Not only should I mention the recent robbery or the fact that you have no family other than your sister; oh forgot to add the side prostitution job behind your boss's back. All of those have jail time. Which you are getting to avoid. Your sister is in the process of going to a foster home. You, on the other hand, you are going to be an asset to the government. We run an operation here called G.U.N. and would like to know if you would want to join. It's either this or jail time; the choice is yours."- the hedgehog said

"I.. I.. How did you know all of that? How did you..-"

"Jail or Job? I do not have all day."- Shadow said cutting off Rouge before she got too rambled within her own words.

"Job." - the bat instantly said.

* * *

_Like a moth to a flame, my wings burn away,_  
_When things are too beautiful, I smash them to pieces,_  
_The more that you love me insecurity releases,_  
_And I'll be the one that's to blame,_  
_So I'll sell my soul to blaze_  
_Like a moth to a flame._  
_(like a moth to a flame)_

A year would pass by since that day and Rouge The Bat was now one of G.U.N.'s top agents. With Shadow being her caretaker and trainer; she was nearly unstoppable. Her sister was living a happy life in a foster home with two tiger parents. Rouge would still keep in contact with her sister promising her she would get her again when she was 18. Shadow and Rouge along with their robot comrade Omega; would have success after success on every little thing G.U.N. threw at them. That would be until the following year, when they met a group of individuals who they thought were the enemies. On board the ARK, Rouge would run into one of their members; a red echidna. They would have a fight before Rouge almost had her life taken away.

* * *

_The ruler of the kingdom that ends up the pawn,_  
_So tired of thinking of where it all went wrong,_  
_Friendships they come and go and sometimes they end,_  
_Wouldn't dream in a million year that this would be one of them._  
_Faith in the life, belief to the end,_  
_Failures not an option, but the options exist,_  
_I gave up my everything, I give till I bleed,_  
_Take it all, take everything just take it from me_

As the fight progressed, Rouge fell over the side of the bridge. She was falling to her own death. She knew it. She wanted it. She wanted to be with her parents. She was ready to die. Then he saved her. The red echidna caught her before it was too late causing the bat to look up at the echidna with admiration in his face. They would share this moment for a few seconds before she snapped them out of it.

* * *

_Like a moth to a flame, my wings burn away,_  
_When things are too beautiful, I smash them to pieces,_  
_The more that you love me insecurity releases,_  
_And I'll be the one that's to blame,_  
_So I'll sell my soul to blaze._

For the next couple of years, Rouge would constantly visit the Echidna on his island above the water. They would have a little spar before he accused her of being a thief and trying to steal his Master Emerald. All reality was is that she just wanted to see him. She thought it was a way of repaying him for saving her life. She thought he could use the company. In all actuality she fell for him the day he saved her, but due to his arrogance and stubbornness; she would use her feminine charm she used in her stripper days to piss him off even further. She knew what she was doing. She knew what she wanted.

* * *

_You're pushing me, I'm pushing back,_  
_Falling down my heart attacks,_  
_Compassion is lost,_  
_No more hope, no more trust,_  
_I tore it down and burnt it up,_  
_All faith is gone._  
_Respect, devotion,_  
_Dead,_  
_Disgust, hate,_  
_Lies_

* * *

During this time, Rouge would reunite with her sister and grandmother in a heartfelt cerimony at Ckub Rouge in which their grandmother would apologize for everything she had ever done. Inviting her sister to live with her at Club Rouge; she had her family back, and with adoptive brothers in Shadow and Omega and the generous amount of friends in Sonic and his crew that were there with her; her life was back on track and she had everything she wanted... except for him.. That was the only thing she needed; and he was nowhere to be found. He had promised to be there for her. She felt betrayed, she felt angry.

* * *

_I'm not a hero, or a villain,_  
_Not a god, I'm just a woman,_  
_Staring through the hourglass,_  
_At the footprints in the sand,_  
_I'm stripping on my armor,_  
_My battles here are done,_  
_Wave my white flag to surrender and fly into the sun._

Sitting atop the alter sat the echidna, looking into the star filled sky, as Rouge made her way to the island. As she landed, she steadily made her way to the alter where the echidna would be startled by her sudden appearance.

"Where were you?!"- the bat barked, words of hatred fuming from her mouth.

"What are you talking about? I told you I could not leave the alter. You need to calm down."

"DO NOT TELL ME TO CALM DOWN, DO YOU KNOW HOW IMPORTANT TONIGHT WAS FOR ME! Everyone was their to watch my family reunion, but one echidna was not, the one who I wanted to be there so much." - Rouge says as tears start falling from her eyes. She notices this and instantly tries to attack the echidna.

"HOW DARE YOU STAND ME UP! HOW DARE YOU LIE TO M-" Rouge says pounding on the echidna's tough exterior. The echidna noticing this would pull the bat closer to him; not before catching one of her swinging arms and changing the both of their lives forever. As the arm was caught so was Rouge's emotions, as the echidna pulled her into an unexpected kiss. Rouge had so many thoughts going on in her head but each moment died as the kiss kept getting deeper and deeper before they pulled apart..

* * *

_Like a moth to a flame, my wings burn away,_  
_When things are too beautiful, I smash them to pieces,_  
_The more that you love me insecurity releases,_  
_And I'll be the one that's to blame,_  
_So I'll sell my soul to blaze._  
_Like a moth to a flame._  
_Moth to a flame_

Ten years later, on the top of an alter sat a red echidna and his family. He was joined by his two daughters and his son. Retelling old stories from ancient times, the kids would laugh at their father's ridiculous stories. Off in the distance, a ivory white bat with a tiny echidna-bat hybrid girl would walk up to join her family on the alter. This bat used to live a life no one wanted to live, but that all changed due to her becoming desperate for money. She left her old life behind. She wanted no memories of it. Her sister was a pediatrician for kids in Mobtropolis, along with her husband. Rouge, now a retired G.U.N. agent with no criminal records attached to her name, was living the life of peace and tranquility. She had her everything. She had him, she had her family, and most importantly, she had her children. Her life was finally at peace.


End file.
